-LRB- CNN -RRB- `` Sleeping in our caves is a mystical experience , '' says Umberto Paolucci . `` You 'll find your spirit and the real essence of life . Even if you 're looking for neither . ''

As the co-owner of Grotte della Civita , a luxury resort dug into a precipice of primeval stones that seemingly rise from nowhere at Matera in Italy 's deepest south , Paolucci knows a thing or two about journeys of discovery and redemption .

Once a refuge for monks , nuns and hermits fleeing persecution in the Middle Ages , the caves slowly fell into oblivion .

For centuries , Matera 's 156 rock crypts and maze of grottoes , known as Sassi , were home to `` troglodyte '' outcasts living in inhuman conditions .

When inhabitants were driven out in the 1950s , the caves became a haven for prostitutes and junkies .

That was before Paolucci stepped in to help oversee their rebirth as a tourism destination .

`` When we entered there were illegal dump sites , prostitutes ' mattresses , drug addicts ' syringes and mistreated pit bulls , '' says Paolucci .

Several of Matera 's cave dwellings and crypts have been restored as a `` spiritual hotel . ''

It 's a destination that offers an attractive blend of isolation and luxury for anyone looking for some stress busting or soul searching .

`` They 're enchanted , magical , but real at the same time , '' Paolucci adds .

Matera is now a UNESCO World Heritage site , and picked as the 2019 European Capital of Culture .

Modern day pilgrims

At the entrance to Sassi , the same crumbling fresco of the Madonna and Child that once greeted monks and hermits -LRB- and , legend says , even Templar Knights -RRB- greets modern pilgrims .

Grotte della Civita -LRB- Via Civita 28 , Matera ; +39 0835 332744 -RRB- features 18 soberly restyled grotto rooms clustered around a cave crypt that serves as restaurant , cocktail and lounge area .

Friars ' cells have been turned into deluxe suites . The reception is part of a Benedictine monastery .

Below the hotel are two of the city 's most ancient and stunning frescoed rock churches : Our Lady of Virtues and St. Nicholas of the Greek , a shooting location for Mel Gibson 's `` The Passion of the Christ . ''

It 's no ordinary location .

When I step inside my 80-square-meter suite , made up of three adjacent grottoes , I 'm struck by an unexpected wave of spirituality even as I 'm worshiping the accommodation 's more earthly pleasures .

The suite has a private terrace in the deep gorge of the Murgia Park , cut by a dark river and overlooked by holes carved into the mountain on the other side .

Inside there are heated stone floors , arches , vaults and a high ceiling .

Niches formerly used for votive paintings , sacred statuettes and incense now hold flickering candles and electric spotlights .

A round floor brazier , a cloister bench and an old wooden chest laden with a fruit bowl , ceramic cups , plates and silver cutlery are the sole furniture .

I feel like a privileged hermit .

`` Real luxury is the fulfillment of one 's most intimate and true need , '' says Paolucci .

` Primitive spirituality '

`` Paradoxically , only a high-end resort gives the possibility to experience the primitive spirituality of such places . ''

The other grottoes , including a 160-square-meter deluxe suite for four , feature iron crosses and wooden planks covered with thin mattresses that favor asceticism over comfort .

`` To hermit monks these grottoes were places of adoration , '' says Angela Galgano of Un Giro nel Sole tour group .

According to resort manager Michele Centonze , there are plans to expand in 2015 with another restyled crypt , 14 new cave dwellings , a relaxation area , library , spa and canteen .

Until then , guests wanting to restore soul and body have to settle for a massage -LRB- with perfumed oils , burning braziers and new age music -RRB- inside their grotto .

Evening drinks are served inside the cave church beneath walls that are a puzzle of black holes and candlelit niches .

I sit on a tree trunk below two impressive naves leading to an altar , sipping a glass of red Aglianico wine in front of a crackling fire .

The rectangular tables are former convent doors , there are church benches , an illuminated confessional booth doubling as a walk-in closet and underground cisterns full of coins .

It feels like a ritual or ceremony is taking place .

For those seeking the true hermit vibe , the crypt can be booked for an exclusive solo meal with a menu featuring Matera gourmet dishes such as Pezzente sausages and huge sun-dried and fried Cusco chili peppers .

Back in my room , it 's pitch dark .

I search for the matches and light the candles . From the window , Matera looks like a nativity scene .

With no television , radio , minibar or magazines , it does feel like I 'm leading a monastic life .

` Nuns ' thighs '

Inspired by my convent-style surroundings , I 'm up at 7:30 a.m. the following day .

Crossing the rugged rock floor , I open the door to a thick fog covering the chasm below .

It feels like I 'm in a scene from Umberto Eco 's medieval whodunit `` The Name of the Rose . ''

Breakfast in the cave church is a sensory event soundtracked by a Chopin nocturne playing on a sleek Bang & Olufsen sound system .

Simple food is served beneath the altar : tomato pizza , aubergine and potato pie , house-made bread , yogurt , jam , honey and a mozzarella braid surrounded by slices of kiwi and persimmon .

There are also plums known as `` nuns ' thighs '' due to their unusual shape .

Harrison Rubenstein from New York is another early riser .

`` This is such a break from daily life . Utterly regenerating , '' he tells me .

His thoughts are reflected in comments in the guest book that describe Matera as an `` escape from the world , '' an `` ancestral experience '' offering `` peace and happiness , '' or simply `` Nirvana . ''

Other ` spiritual hotels ' in Italy

Eremito Hotelito del Alma

Built by former jeans designer Marcello Murzilli , this `` modern ashram '' is set in a 3,000-hectare park in Umbria and has only single-cell rooms , all named after saints .

Dinner is taken in silence while Gregorian chants play in the background . Perfect for a digital detox .

Eremito Hotelito del Alma , Localita Tarina 2 , Parrano , Terni ; +39 076 389 1010

Relais Sant ` Uffizio

A former Holy Inquisition tribunal located in Piedmont 's wine-rich Monferrato hills , this is where Dominicans sentenced witches and heretics to death in the 1500s .

The spa uses oils and creams made from monks ' herbs and spice recipes .

`` Brushing of the Monastery '' massage uses sorghum grains to revitalize leg circulation .

Relais Sant ` Uffizio , Strada del Sant ` Uffizio 1 , Cioccaro di Penango , Asti ; +39 0141 916 292

La Palazzetta del Vescovo

A former summer residence of Todi 's Bishop in the 1700s , this palace , close to Perugia , is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves .

It features just nine elegant rooms with old furniture and carpets .

La Palazzetta del Vescovo , Via Clausura 17 , Fratta Todina , Perugia ; +39 075 8745183

Hotel Monteconero

This impressive 12th-century abbey sits atop the Conero hill in Marche region , a mystical location covered in greenery .

The Romanesque church serves as the reception and hall , while the cloister has been turned into suites .

The view stretches across the Adriatic Coast 's fishing villages and beaches .

Hotel Moteconero , Via Monteconero 26 , Sirolo , Ancona ; + 39 071 933 0592

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For centuries , Matera , Italy 's rock crypts and maze of grottoes have been home to `` troglodyte '' outcasts living in inhuman conditions

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Now many of the caves have been converted into upscale `` spiritual hotels ''

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Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site , and picked as the 2019 European Capital of Culture